Southampton - An Overview

[Benfleetshrimp]

Quote[/b] (Andy_S @ Dec. 09 2006,19:37)]And for all the people who don't understand why we bring everyone back at corners, Brush explained to us near the dugout when questioned that the players want to do it like that. Hmm. Nobody dared say though, well they aren't in charge. Plus John Stannard told us to pass on the words "f%ck off" to someone who had a go at Tilly during the second half.    

Finally, Gareth Bale, the most impressive visiting player to the Hall this season? Even more so as he's just 17. Very impressive indeed, especially the speed at which he can run with the ball.

I hope you did pass on those words.

Aggree 100% about Bale. So bloody quick. Didnt know he is only 17 One to look out for in the future me thinks.

 

[Southendsleeper]

Quote[/b] (Soton Blue @ Dec. 09 2006,21:10)]Excellent all round performance.  passion and purpose BUT we must keep the ball better if we are to move on from this

Its tricky though

The number of times we tried to play it out and lost possession, but then when we hoofed it out to safety some of the fans reacted with groans etc

 

[* ORM *]

That'll do me ! Was cacking myself that we'd throw all the hard work away in the last 5 minutes but what an awesome performance. By rights we should have won that game by 4 or 5 goals.

Spinner - what a legend you are !

McCormack MOM by a country mile but what a difference a fully fit Bradders makes. What a fantastic first touch he has too.

 

[shrimperbhoy]

Quote[/b] (Benfleetshrimp @ Dec. 09 2006,21:13)]

Quote[/b] (Andy_S @ Dec. 09 2006,19:37)]And for all the people who don't understand why we bring everyone back at corners, Brush explained to us near the dugout when questioned that the players want to do it like that. Hmm. Nobody dared say though, well they aren't in charge. Plus John Stannard told us to pass on the words "f%ck off" to someone who had a go at Tilly during the second half.    

Finally, Gareth Bale, the most impressive visiting player to the Hall this season? Even more so as he's just 17. Very impressive indeed, especially the speed at which he can run with the ball.

I hope you did pass on those words.

Aggree 100% about Bale. So bloody quick. Didnt know he is only 17 One to look out for in the future me thinks.

Anyone who plays Football Manager will know all about the talents of Gareth Bale! He usually goes for about £10m three or four seasons into the game. This could turn out to be a tad unrealistic, but he definitely looked class today. I was a tad worried about the number of corners and free kicks we were giving away when they have set piece specialists like Bale and Idiakez in their side. As it happened, we defended them well.

 

[Rusty Lee]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Dec. 09 2006,20:53)]Let's hope they can get out of this mess, but let's not get too carried away with just one win.

We need to win 10 more games to stay up Tilly says.

Carried away is exactly what we do need, to start thinking we can stay up. Tilly is right ten more wins, why isnt that possible?

 

[KrustyTheKray]

Quote[/b] (Rusty Lee @ Dec. 10 2006,01:24)]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Dec. 09 2006,20:53)]Let's hope they can get out of this mess, but let's not get too carried away with just one win.

We need to win 10 more games to stay up Tilly says.

Carried away is exactly what we do need, to start thinking we can stay up. Tilly is right ten more wins, why isnt that possible?

It's a massive ask thats all.

Yes todays win was good, but why cant the team play like that in alot of games?

We musn't get too carried away, there's lots of hard work to do and staying up wont be easy.

 

[Rusty Lee]

your right it wont be easy but seeing the fight we showed today means we can do it !

 

[KrustyTheKray]

Quote[/b] (Rusty Lee @ Dec. 10 2006,01:31)]your right it wont be easy but seeing the fight we showed today means we can do it !

Where was this fight over the last 17 league games then??

 

[Rusty Lee]

it was seriously lacking

 

[steveo1]

Quote[/b] ]Where was this fight over the last 17 league games then??

This is the problem, every time we play well and appear to get some momentum going, we seem to follow it with a poor display. However, with Maher back for the next game there is every chance we can now move forward and get some sort of decent run going

 

[Beefy]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Dec. 10 2006,01:29)]Yes todays win was good, but why cant the team play like that in alot of games?

The difference is the way that the opposition played, not the way we played. The fight and character has been there several times this season but the difference today was that we scored two wonder-strikes which meant that Southampton had to come at us. It was like the Man United game at times today, with them having so much of the ball but failing to get past the final desperate piece of defending from the likes of Sodje, Prior and Francis.

Make no mistake though, we could have easily lost today in the same way that we could have easily won the matches against Burnley, Coventry, Hull, Preston and Plymouth (just off the top of my head), all of which we dropped points in. There was no secret to the success and I don't buy the black-and-white view that all was brilliant today and all was crap over the last 17 matches.

 

[Southend_Lady]

If we played the way we played yesterday every game we would be in no trouble whatsoever. Keep it up I say and the team spirit definately looked like it was back.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Quote[/b] (Up the Shrimps @ Dec. 09 2006,18:03)]

Quote[/b] (solihullshrimper @ Dec. 09 2006,18:01)]Is McCormack cup-tied?

Don't think so, he was an unused Sub against Port Vale.

NOT cup-tied

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

Flavs 8 - Not always dominant under crosses but made some good stops. The goal was up the other end from me but it looked like it'd be harsh to blame him for letting in a shot from that range. Much improved distribution too, finding Bradbury repeatedly late on.

Francis 8.5 - Close to MOM. Linked up well with JCR, actually put some crosses in for once and made an amazing last ditch tackle worth every bit as much as either of the goals.

Sodje 8 - Dominant and committed as ever, but distribution still puts us straight back under pressure at times.

Prior 7.5 - Won everything in the air.

Hammell 7 - Got forwards less than usual but was solid enough defensively. Looks far more confident alongside Spinner than Barrett.

JCR 8 - Fully deserved his standing ovation. I'll always have time for any player who puts in that much effort, even if they are struggling with parts of their game, but today he was invaluable on the break. Seemed to come infield more often and to link up well with Bradbury, giving us a bit more presence in that part of the field, and used Francis intelligently.

Hunt 6.5 - Neat and tidy without doing anything remarkable, as is his wont (Brighton game excluded). Should be the one to make way for Maher - or will Tilly stick with a winning team?

McCormack 9 MOM - The missing piece of the jigsaw, bringing the same qualities as an on-form Guttridge. Covered every blade, put tackles in, passed and moved, looked to get forwards and capped it all off with a really well taken goal.

Gower 7.5 - Another, like JCR, who has continually impressed me with his effort this season even when others' heads were dropping. It never quite came off for him today but he always wanted the ball and wasn't afraid to try progressive passes. We'll need those qualities if we're to have any chance of staying up.

Freddy 7.5 - Much improved workrate and great goal, but cost us two more by shooting instead of laying it back for a couple of Bradbury tap-ins.

Bradbury 8.5 - Close to MOM. Missed a great chance, but otherwise showed class head and shoulders above our other options at centre forward. Wins most of his headers, uses the ball intelligently and did brilliantly getting long balls forward under control late on to buy us some respite. Would have had a brace but for Freddy's selfishness or lack of awareness.

Whisper it quietly, but if we play like that on a regular basis we've still got an outside chance of staying up.

 

[Jam_Man]

Quote[/b] (Sussex Shrimper @ Dec. 10 2006,10:36)]Freddy 7.5 - Much improved workrate and great goal, but cost us two more by shooting instead of laying it back for a couple of Bradbury tap-ins.
up.

He set up Bradbury brilliantly with the easiest chance Bradders will ever get then a couple of minutes later went for a chance himself.

Can hardly blame him for that when Bradders had just missed a sitter and you are 2-0 up.

 

[GregStarz]

Quote[/b] (Sussex Shrimper @ Dec. 10 2006,10:36)]Francis 8.5 - Close to MOM. Linked up well with JCR, actually put some crosses in for once and made an amazing last ditch tackle worth every bit as much as either of the goals.

You must of watched a different game to me!!

 

[Jam_Man]

Quote[/b] (Beefy @ Dec. 10 2006,02:40)]Make no mistake though, we could have easily lost today in the same way that we could have easily won the matches against Burnley, Coventry, Hull, Preston and Plymouth (just off the top of my head), all of which we dropped points in.

It was a great game today but I hope people dont get carried away.

We could have scored 5 today, but lets remember they went 3 at the back and pushing forward 2-0 down left huge gaps at the back.

If they had scored that one a minute before we scored the game could have panned out a lot different.

However it was a great performance none the less and with performances like those from McCormack and Bradbury hopefully we can start to pick up some more points.

 

[Shrimper Matt]

Not sure if you was watching the same game as me on some of your points Sussex Shrimper!

Francis' tackle in the first half was outstanding, and was playing very well. His overlapping was also quite effective, but he was hardly a MoM contender as he couldn't cope with anyone running at him!

Bradbury 8.5 while Freddy gets a 7.5?! Bradders worked hard but he should have had a certain goal. Freddy created everything good that we did. A goal and an assist, he's by MoM very slightly ahead of Macca.

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Jam_Man @ Dec. 10 2006,10:57)]

Quote[/b] (Sussex Shrimper @ Dec. 10 2006,10:36)]Freddy 7.5 - Much improved workrate and great goal, but cost us two more by shooting instead of laying it back for a couple of Bradbury tap-ins.
up.

He set up Bradbury brilliantly with the easiest chance Bradders will ever get then a couple of minutes later went for a chance himself.

Can hardly blame him for that when Bradders had just missed a sitter and you are 2-0 up.

I don't blame Freddy in that instance, but there were two other occasions when he could have squared it for absolute sitters but didn't. The one where he went with the outside of his foot, with two defenders on the line, instead of passing was shocking.

Don't get me wrong, I thought he did much better today and 7.5 is a positive score, but if he'd acted in the best interests of the team a couple more times we'd have been home and hosed much earlier on in the game.

 

[Southend_Lady]

Quote[/b] (SUFC4EVER @ Dec. 10 2006,11:00)]

Quote[/b] (Sussex Shrimper @ Dec. 10 2006,10:36)]Francis 8.5 - Close to MOM. Linked up well with JCR, actually put some crosses in for once and made an amazing last ditch tackle worth every bit as much as either of the goals.

You must of watched a different game to me!!

Was thinking the same thing - I think francis is an absolute liability I wouldnt trust him with a pencil.

He made a few good tackles today but apart from that he was the weakest link